Anchoring Bias
Anchoring Bias
Anchoring bias is a cognitive tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions, causing all subsequent judgments to be pulled toward that initial reference point.
Details
What Is Anchoring Bias?
Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias identified by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. When making decisions, people tend to rely disproportionately on the first number or piece of information they encounter — the "anchor" — and adjust insufficiently from it.
How It Works
In price negotiations, the first figure mentioned sets the tone for all subsequent discussion. If a store labels an item "Originally $300, now $150," the $150 seems reasonable — but the item's real value should be assessed independently. The initial $300 acts as the anchor.
Anchoring Bias in Daily Life
Examples include: the salary a company first offers in a job negotiation, the listing price of the first property seen in a real estate search, or the difficulty of the first exam question influencing perception of the whole test. Research shows that even completely unrelated numbers can serve as anchors.
Overcoming Anchoring Bias
When making important decisions, ask yourself: "Why am I using this as my reference point?" Actively gathering information from multiple sources and consciously resisting the pull of initial figures helps counteract this bias.
Mindy's note: Our minds are pulled by first impressions more than we realize. Building the habit of asking "Wait — have I looked at this from another angle?" before big decisions leads to wiser choices.
💡 Real-Life Example
In job interviews, if the first candidate leaves a strong impression, all subsequent candidates tend to be evaluated relative to that person — a classic example of anchoring bias.
This content is for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical diagnosis.